Virginia Barnes is cooking with cabbage

St. Patrick’s Day is history for another year. But, there’s cabbage left over. What to do with it?

Virginia Barnes has some great suggestions. A fifth generation Hastings-area farmer, Barnes has accumulated a lot of favorite recipes when it comes to serving the sweet, green cabbage grown on some 1,000 acres of the Barnes Farm, just off State Road 206.

ROASTED CABBAGE WITH BACON

Serves 4-6

1 head green or Savoy cabbage, outer leaves removed

Olive oil

Coarse kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

4 slices thick bacon, 6 to 8 ounces.

Heat oven to 450 degrees F. Cut cabbage into quarters and slice the bottom of each quarter at an angle to partially remove stem core. Cut each quarter in half again to make eight wedges. Lay these down on a large roasting pan or baking sheet and drizzle very lightly with olive oil. Sprinkle generously with salt and pepper.

Cut each slice of bacon into small strips and lay on top of cabbage.

Roast for 30 minutes, flipping cabbage wedges once, halfway through. If the edges aren’t browned enough for your taste after 30 minutes, put them back in for five-minute increments until they are.

Serve immediately. The wedges cool down fast.

Recipe Notes:

* Roasting Rack: Some cook prefer to toast cabbage on a rack, which helps edges crisp up and brown more. But then you roast it flat in a pan more of the bacon and drippings stay with the cabbage, which I prefer.

* Types of cabbage: You can use any sort with this recipe. I’ve never used red cabbage, but I’m sure it would work beautifully. I also like roasting Savoy cabbage; it tends to give you smaller, more manageable wedges.

GIN’S EASY PEASY RECIPE

Note: You’ll need a deep pot with a lid.

I medium onion, diced

1 green cabbage (2×2 inch squares works well)

1 pkg. Kielbasa sausage, cut into bite-sized pieces

Salt and pepper to taste.

Brown onion in butter until onion is clear. Remove and set aside. Brown sausage (both sides) and remove.

Do not rinse out the pot!

Add water to the pot and mix up the brown left from the sausage to make a savory steaming juice. (I start with 2 cups and add more if needed to seam without burning. I usually do this at a medium heat – not on high.

Put some of chopped cabbage into pot and mix the juice all over it. In a few minutes add more cabbage and repeat until it’s all in there. Add browned sausage and onions once all of the cabbage is soft from being steamed. Combine all and serve.